Fifty young scientists go to Oahu

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With generous community donations and support, the Hawaii District Science and Engineering Fair was able to send 50 students with top-ranked projects and six chaperones on to Oahu for the State Science Fair with travel expenses paid. East Hawaii was able to send more than any other Neighbor Island district, said spokesman George Curtis.

With generous community donations and support, the Hawaii District Science and Engineering Fair was able to send 50 students with top-ranked projects and six chaperones on to Oahu for the State Science Fair with travel expenses paid. East Hawaii was able to send more than any other Neighbor Island district, said spokesman George Curtis.

Shalila de Bourmont from Hilo High School, a winner at the district fair in Hilo, took third place in the senior research division at the state fair and will go to the International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh next month. Her project was “Medicinal Profiling of Colletotnchum boninense, a Endemic Hawaiian Plant.” Also receiving honors at the statewide competition was Sydney Vermeulen of Hawaii Preparatory Academy, who achieved honorable mention in the junior research category with his project on sunglasses.

Teachers were honored for their work with the students as well. Laura Jim of Hawaii Prep was recognized with an award from the Hawaii Optometric Association, while Pascale Pinner of Hilo High received awards from the Hawaii Academy of Science, the Queen’s Hospital and the Hawaii Association of Environmental Professionals.

Steve Zeiher of Hilo Intermediate received a teachers award from The Nature Conservancy.